Hearts and Arrows

Imagine a Heart. A Heart with an arrow going through it. Not a horrible bloody arrow but a nice arrow. How do you feel when you see that image ? What is that image trying to evoke from us ?

I sat down a few minutes ago and sort of got lost in a ramble of thoughts when this image flickered in my minds’ eye and just remained there.

Growing up – I remember seeing hearts drawn across note books in school; on dirty car windows where someone would smear that across; as graffiti on some walls; even I have drawn that image a few times … There was an unsaid acceptance that the hearts represented people’s feelings of love – you know – like if they didn’t know how to express themselves – a heart just says it all … well something like that anyway …

Cupid – the God of Erotic Love & Beauty is normally associated with a heart and arrow. Cupid is meant to induce desire and lust between people … and nothing says ‘Desire’ better than this!

The heart being a love interest and the arrow is Cupid’s arrow signifying that one has found love in that heart. It is believed that Cupid can induce love with a single shot from his arrow. Hence the saying ‘hit by Cupid’

Whilst laying on my bed, focusing on this image – I thought … how could that possibly represent something ‘nice’ … look at it really …

An arrow … cutting into your heart …. that just sounds painful ! I reckon that arrow and heart are an accurate representation of how someone would feel after a break-up with a loved one …. the sheer pain of it all could be pretty excruciating !

This is what I’m feeling and thinking of when I think of that image … There’s an arrow lodged into your heart … it’s just pierced right through you and it’s stuck there … and the only way to get it out is to pull it out … when you do, that’s when the blood spills out … all over you … and that’s how your heart breaks … that’s how heart ache came about I suppose … It makes sense doesn’t it ?

Considering my current state of mind and how my thought process has come about – if it were me with that arrow piercing through my heart – I’d feel sort of pinned down almost I think … As if that arrow was stuck and it was hard to get out …

Nonetheless, over the years, we would have learned that to love, could also mean to lose love .. and hence we ought to be prepared to get hurt if we are going to love someone … and be prepared to love again …

However when you look at that heart image in front of you – it doesn’t appear to give off any negative sort of vibe .. nor does it really make you think that deeply into something which is meant to be a happy and cheerful image !

I just Googled ‘heart with arrow’ and all the pictures that came off – seemed to come off quite nicely.

Some images were really ‘cute’ and ‘feminine’ … others were stronger, with ribbons, had more shadows playing on them … or you get a romantic heart drawn out in sand on the beach …. It’s nice to look at right ?

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But really … look at it … how can you feel nice when you have a damn arrow going through your heart ???

I have nothing against the whole Cupid hitting you with love arrows – but realistically … doesn’t make a whole lot of sense does it .. or maybe I’ve just had a really long day ! Would love to know your thoughts on this …

@ Marsha .. thanks for dropping by :) you know I love your kewlstuff hehehe Until last night, I never really gave the arrow through the heart much thought .. it was such a random thought and was stuck in my head that I had to put it down ..

I'm not a pessimist by any standard and then again nor am I a total optimist .. I reckon it makes sense to me so it's all good :) besides the happy thoughts do make for a nicer feeling than the broken heart LOL

I think it has connotations of both a broken heart as well as a heart which has fallen in love well to me anyway

I never actually think of the heart at all whether in love or not neither do I think of cupid but then I do not even celebrate valentine's day but that is 'cos it is the day before my bday and I do not want to take any attention away from it lol

u have now made me think about it and I still cannot decide which image it represents...broken or in love

DC, the 1st thought that came to my head while reading ur post were the words of my old friend jon bon jovi.. "shot thru the heart and youre to blame, you give love a bad name" :-p

but of course that songs about a jilted lover, which i aint! :)

someone shooting u thru the heart seems morbid to begin with. but when in love, u dont feel the pain of the arrow till the time she rips it right outta ur chest after shes done with u, n goes hunting again!

i dunno wat the exact story of cupid is, but since he's the son of venus, guess he's just being a good son n helping his mom! hehe

so my advice for those who dont wanna fall in love after a bad experience or of the fear of being heart-broken, wear a chest plate.. preferably made of kevlar!

@ Vickie ... aahh my Vixen glad you dropped by :) and nothing is more important than your birthday .. tssk what is this V-Day all about ?? I always knew it was VIXEN DAY :P

I suppose none of us really think about the connotations of the heart & arrow and just accept that it is acknowledged to show someone in love ... but nooo this Diva's trippy mind was somewhere else the other and came out with this gore !

@ Anon .. DA I hope this is you - I'm pretty sure it is .. brilliantly said .. there really is no love without pain ...

@ Nosferatu ... when you said it was gonna be a random comment you meant it didn't you :P I did think about how Cupid is son of Venus and another strong Greek God .. and yeah I suppose he is out there making his mom proud ... are you in the business of supplying chest plates ???

So mulling it over, I feel it depends on which way the arrow is facing, the first image, has come from behind to the front of the heart. I feel as if you have been picked by cupid's arrow, The other images below have arrows facing outwards away I feel these have connotations of a broken heart.